YSR to induct new ministers today

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Thursday will induct 17 new ministers into his cabinet, taking the total strength to 42. This will be the first-ever expansion after the Congress came into power in May 2004.

Government sources also confirmed that no existing minister will be dropped nor will there be any deputy chief minister post as has been demanded by a section of Congressmen.

Of the 17 new faces, seven are from the Telangana region, eight from coastal Andhra and two from the Rayalaseema region. The ministers are: Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Maganti Babu, Mandali Buddha Prasad, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, M Hanumantha Rao, Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, R Chenga Reddy, Galla Aruna, G Chinna Reddy, M Mukesh Goud, R Damodar Reddy, T Jeevan Reddy, J Ratnakar Rao, Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, Sambhani Chandra Sekhar and Damodar Raja Narsimha.

It may be recalled that the Cabinet size had come down following the resignation of six TRS ministers from the government last year. With the new induction, all the 23 districts of the state will have their representation in the Rajasekhara Reddy's Cabinet. Governor Rameshwar Thakur will administer the oath of office to the new ministers at Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning, according to officials.

While some of Rajasekhara Reddy's adversaries such as P Janardhan Reddy, MLA from Hyderabad, have been kept out of the expansion, the chief minister's office has informally indicated that there would be yet another Cabinet expansion in the future.